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On-demand services: Decision of French CSA concerning the protection of minors, ethics and accessibility of programmes

posted on
05 January, 2011
(public)

The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), the French regulatory authority, has recently adopted a decision concerning the protection of minors, ethics and the accessibility of programmes on audiovisual media services on demand.

The decision extends the signalling and labelling system in use for linear TV according to five levels of acceptability (from I to V) to on-demand services. It also involves the creation of a "trust zone" for programmes aimed at all audiences. The signalling and labelling system is occasionally coupled with watershed restrictions, e.g. for programmes of category IV (-16). Programmes belonging to Category V (-18) may only be offered in return for payment and are subject to technical access restrictions such as PIN codes.

The decision was adopted by the CSA on 14 December and was published in the Official Journal on 29 December. It is based on the provisions of the Act of 30 September 1986 on freedom of communication (art 1, 3-1 and 15) and applies to on-demand services offered under French jurisdiction and to platform operators based in France.